AU: Despite the cover, my mental image of the brothers is a bit different than the pics show. Little things like Donnie not having glasses (I've never really seen the point) and Raph not having the earrings and possibly being less... Bulky. However, everyone has different ideas of what the brothers look like, so I've left descriptions a little vague so your imaginations can do as they please.

Just... Can we agree that becoming human shouldn't necessarily mean that Donnie suddenly has glasses? Seriously, stereotypes anyone?

It would have been nice if this had begun a day like any other and continued that way until the end, only changing Donnie's meticulous schedule slightly to cause a minor irritation instead of a massive hassle.

Instead, he had two brothers sick at home and an extra load of homework to turn in from the both of them; homework that one spent hours on and the other as few minutes as possible. He had no doubt that the completed assignments would be exchanged for new homework, and possibly a larger load.

It wasn't that he minded the extra weight. He just hated the reminder that they were at home and he was there, forced to endure the day without them.

Leo, adored by all the teachers, and Mikey, friends with possibly every student in the high school, were the perfect companions to have when a well-known nerd was looking to stay out of trouble. No one would threaten the school's pet for fear of the consequences and the rest of the school ganged up on those who so much as sent his bubbly little brother an annoyed side-eyed.

How they managed to do it, Donnie would never understand, but he was grateful for the ability to go about his day with one of them at his side, and never risk being pushed around. Leo had actually tried to convince him to see if he could fake joining their illness to stay home for a while, but they both detested lying unless absolutely necessary, so the eldest didn't argue when Donnie refused.

The day had started off rough. He couldn't count the number of times he'd been asked where Mikey was, or gotten trapped in a conversation with a teacher about Leo's health, which caused him to be late to the next class. It didn't help that none of the students were being sneaky about their background whispers. Donnie only wished they'd be a little more subtle when they talked behind his back.

Donnie's usual tormenter, able to mess with him whether Leo and Mikey were present or not, kept appearing out of the corner of his eye, but he never acknowledged him. He knew what would come if he did, and so he simply didn't, and other than a few snide remarks and an apple core to the forehead, the spikey-haired annoyance left him alone. He easily tuned out the remarks and threw away the apple core before moving on with his day.

He was a jerk, but nothing that Donnie couldn't handle.

His day went from mildly exhausting to one of the days he'd remember for a long time in mere seconds when he was patiently waiting for his father's arrival, absently typing out a code as the minutes ticked by. He wasn't watching his surroundings, and that must have been why he didn't notice the boy run up until Donnie's backpack was in his hand and he was taking off down the sidewalk and around the school.

In a moment of pure stupidity, Donnie gave chase.

He wasn't prepared when another boy jumped him, knocking him off his feet and to the ground. Two more boys grabbed his arms and held him in place when he scrambled to his feet. All the boys wore purple clothing of sorts, dragon images printed somewhere on them, and the boy with his backpack tossed it to the side carelessly before tying a purple bandanna around his forehead.

Donnie would have lied like there was no tomorrow if he knew that this was how his day would turn out, beaten by the Purple Dragons, just out of sight of any plausible help.

His phone was pried from his clenched fist and he earned an elbow to the side for attempting to struggle, their idiot leader leering over him with the cockiest, most malicious smirk that Donnie had only ever seen in movies. His heart was a jackhammer, and he remained as still as possible as Fang sneered, "So the untouchable nerd becomes touchable. You and me have some unfinished business."

Donnie swallowed hard, confused and terrified, which was definitely not a good mixture. "I-I don't-"

"I'm failing my classes causa you." Fang slammed him in the gut and Donnie gasped for air at the unexpected blow. "I gave you a chance, and you refused, so now you gotta pay."

Donnie didn't interact with people much, and he interacted with gang leaders even less, but now he vaguely remembered that he had, in fact, refused the meathead when he'd asked- no, commanded Donnie to become his personal homework slave. He was convinced that if Donnie was as smart as rumors said, then he'd have no problem doing enough assignments for two.

Donnie had dismissed him without a second thought and headed back to the table with his brothers, thinking that this would be the end of it.

Why did he have to be so dumb?

Fang slammed him twice more and then his fourth punch abruptly changed direction and hit his face hard enough that he saw stars for a moment. He was certain that it would bruise and knew it was possible he'd end up with a massive gap by the time the Dragons were finished with him.

"Uh- Fang?" There was a tint of fear in one of the boy's voices as they heard unreasonably loud knuckles popping.

"I can't believe it." Fang spun around immediately at the growling voice and Donnie's usual tormenter entered the picture, looking ready to murder them all in cold blood. "And here I thought you had some brains, George."

Fang bristled even as he stepped back. "It's Fang!"

"That's nice, George." The newcomer passed without hindrance and stopped in front of him. "Now I'm going to give you till the count of three to scram, or I'm going to pummel every last one'a you into the ground so deep that you'll fall into that flaming core."

There was a challenge in his stance, a dangerous gleam in his eyes, and he was undeniably excited. "So what's it gonna be?"

Fang turned as though submissive, but then suddenly wiped out a knife and spun, attempting to slash him with it, only for his wrist to be caught and his weapon to be twisted from his hand. Fang cried out before he was released and kicked into the wall, crumbling to the floor and remaining still with a pained groan.

Emerald eyes surveyed the rest of them, but he didn't need to ask. They all fled without daring to look back.

Donnie was tossed as the two boys abandoned him to flee and he hit the ground, already scrapped arms hitting the concrete again. He pulled the stinging limbs to his chest and curled on his side, his protector crouching next to him, worry visible under the gaze that was normally so condescending.

"You okay?"

Donnie shot him a bitter look. "Took you long enough."

The jerk just frowned before he carefully forced Donnie to uncurl from his fetal position, making him sit upright before lightly pressing his fingers against the side of his chest. Donnie winced at the pressure but, even though he'd never had broken ribs before, he didn't think that anything was broken.

Raphael seemed to come to the same conclusion.

"Heard kids talking about the Dragons wanting to do somethin'. Casey finally got one ta spill the beans." His older brother finally explained as he straightened Donnie's arms to examine them, studying the peeling, bleeding skin before he got to his feet. "I'll be right back."

Raph left and Donnie shot the unconscious Fang a hesitant look before he shakily got to his feet, grabbing his backpack and ignoring the pain that came with the movement. He hurried out of the alley and closer to the school, making his way to Raph and Leo's shared car and then hunkering down beside it.

Several minutes later, his older brother reappeared, black backpack in one hand while the other sat on his hip.

"Did I say you could move?"

"You didn't say I couldn't."

Raph grumbled something under his breath as he crouched before him and got supplies from his bag, carefully cleaning up Donnie's wounds with the care of someone who'd done it many times before. Donnie didn't question how, everyone in the family knew about his evening activities, so he just kept talking in order to distract from the pain.

"How long did you know?"

"Math period."

"You could have told me."

"I wasn't sure."

"Still would have been nice."

"Suck it up."

Donnie bit his lip as he tried to pretend the dabbing alcohol didn't hurt. He focused on his breathing. "The apple was unnecessary."

"Your face was hilarious."

"With a brother like you, who needs foes?"

"You're welcome."

Donnie let out a breath as Raph finally finished. "...Was it Casey's idea?"

"Yep."

"I should've known."

"You should've."

"He's a bad influence."

"I know."

"Where's he now?"

"Goin' to pick up his sis."

"He left you to fight the gang alone?"

"I could take 'em. Besides, my representation precedes me."

Donnie was quiet as Raph finished up. His immediate older brother glanced at his worried expression and seemed to understand. He had told Raph the story the evening after it occurred, perhaps he was more worried about Fang's reaction than he'd cared to admit, but his older brother had assured him that he did the right thing.

Satisfied with this and not seeing any signs of upcoming revenge, Donnie had simply forgotten. Just like then, Raph didn't hesitate. "You made the right choice."

"It would have been easier to just do his homework."

"And give in to that idiot?"

Donnie looked at his lap. "Better than having to fear for my life every day."

"You're better than that, Don."

Donnie's eyes watered without consent. "He was going to beat me senseless, Raphael! He was going to beat me while his stupid cronies held me down or just watched or-or maybe even helped!"

"Don." A firm hand squeezed his shoulder. "They're never going to lay a hand on you again. I swear it."

Donnie sniffled. "You can't promise that."

"I'll take a blood oath here and now if that'll convince you."

Donnie shot him a disapproving look. "That seems like overkill."

The weight left his shoulder and his older brother squeezed his hand, expression nothing but complete sincerity. "They aren't gonna bother you anymore."

Donnie didn't know how he'd keep this promise, but he knew better than to question Raphael. His older brother had his ways, taught by their father who insisted that "if he was going to fight, then he was going to fight well" and fueled by an unreasonable, stubborn willpower.

Donnie removed his hand and wiped at his eyes, nodding numbly. Raph glanced at his bandaged arms. "You got an extra shirt?"

"Do you need to ask?" Always prepared, Donnie pulled out a long-sleeved tee and changed shirts swiftly, earning an approving nod.

Donnie got to his feet and grabbed his backpack, following his older brother back towards the school for when their father picked him up. Raph never bothered to stick around when Donnie had after-school activities, claiming that clubs were for losers without better things to do, so Donnie hadn't even considered heading home with him.

With their father on the way, there wasn't much of a reason for him to head back with Raph. It would only bring up questions about why the second oldest was still at the school and not working, and he had a feeling neither of them wanted to get into that.

Just as they neared the entrance, Raph abruptly reached out to knock the bag from his hands, turning to walk off as if nothing had happened. "See ya, loser."

Donnie knew that this was all for appearance and rolled his eyes, leaning over to pick up the materials that had spilled, ignoring the snickering group of kids a few feet away. When he'd cleaned up, he straightened again, finding that Raph was getting inside the shared vehicle.

When their father drove up, Raph still had yet to leave the parking lot, hunched over in the car and scrolling on his phone as if he had nothing better to do. Donnie knew that he'd been required to clock in for his job almost half an hour ago, not that he liked working anyway. The genius didn't so much as a glance in his direction as he grabbed his bag and hurried to his father as he pulled up.

The day hadn't begun well, and it almost ended in disaster, but Donnie was glad to know that no matter what happened, Raphael would always make sure that he was Donnie's top tormenter. If that cost Donnie a dumped school bag and some mashed food to the face, then that was a price he could pay.

Raph was a jerk, but he was his jerk, and the only jerk that this nerd wanted.